Rain Shower
by ZeGabz
Summary: Traveling with the Avatar proves to be a humbling and life-changing experience for Niwakaame, a young Waterbending prodigy. Slight Kataang, Maiko, Sukka, OC/OC  "If you master energy, you master bending, Aang."
1. Prologue

**DISCLAIMER: All recognizable characters, themes, and dialogue are the property of Nickelodeon, or whoever owns this epic awesomeness.**

**But before I begin I would like to thank ALL of the readers who've subscribed and reviewed! After the success of **_**Running**_** I decided to have meh alter-ego of this world have her time in the spotlight. **

**And when I say alter-ego, I mean a character I came up with. Niwakaame's past is far more complicated than mine, by far.**

It's hard being a girl living in the Northern Water Tribe.

Let me make that clearer, it's hard being a female waterbender in the Northern Water Tribe.

Whenever I'm bending, I feel like I can truly be myself. I can truly be me, Niwakaame Jewel.

Waterbender.

I'm not just any waterbender, either, no-sir-ee! I am a waterbending _prodigy_. I can kick the asses of any of those chauvinistic pigs that use their powers to fight. I can fight too, you know.

But, since I am a girl, I am sentenced to only use my bending to heal. I have to hide my skills from the world.

But I don't want to do that! I want to be out there, with the soldiers, _fighting_.

I want to be a hero.

There has to be a way . . .

* * *

**Five Weeks Later . . .**

Niwakaame sat in the dimly lit dining hall of her grand home near the Waterbending Academy, where her grand-uncle Pakku was a master. Her fingers tapped restlessly on the ebony table, her eyes narrowed with frustration.

She was grounded for life. Literally.

She had disguised herself as a boy and joined Pakku's classes, rising to be an elite student in a matter of weeks. She pretended to be mute, as she knew she couldn't pull off a deep voice, especially with her recognizable accent, refined and elegant. She went under the alias Sonku Rayne. For four weeks, she had gotten away with learning to fight with her bending, taking Healing at night, until Pakku and Yugoda put two and two together, and Pakku had torn off her headdress, revealing her long hair and forcing her to talk.

Pakku had kicked her out on the spot, calling her a disgrace. But she had stood in front of him defiantly, ready to defend her powers.

* * *

"I'll bet I can beat any of the other students here!" she had screamed at Pakku. The man had gasped at her open defiance. The other students still had their chauvinistic attitude, but their respect for her powers kept them silent.

"I will not have you waste our time any more, Niwakaame," he said calmly, "Go."

"Waste your time? I was the best student here! I _dare _you to deny it, Pakku!"

None of the boys dared to challenge her. Except for the old dustrag himself.

"Your place is in healing, I-"

"Who are you to decide where my place is?" Niwakaame screamed, "I am a _fighter_, Pakku, through and through. I am not a Healer, and I never will be!"

"I am sorry, but-"

"You're not sorry," Niwakaame spat, "You're just a prejudiced old man who refuses to swallow his pride and admit there might be a female bender better than you."

* * *

That comment had been a huge risk.

If she had been wrong, she would have been a laughingstock.

But she wasn't wrong.

Some called her proud, but she wasn't. She was simply aware of her talents and would do anything to be able to use them.

The two hadn't talked since.

_I need to find some water, _she thought, standing up. Her mother had been sure to hide all of her spare bending water, but that didn't stop Niwakaame from searching out other sources. She glanced around the room, and grinned when she saw a small plant at their window. The soil was nice and moist, recently watered.

_I'll put the water back, planty, I promise, _Niwakaame thought lightly as she bended the water out of the soil. She made the water into a ball while she thought of what to practice. She eventually decided to do some target practice. Thinking quickly, she took a plate from the cabinet and a small ball she used to play with. She grabbed glue and stuck the ball on the plate, and the plate in the wall. Proud with her work, she stepped away and bent a water-whip. She slowly had it creep forward until it lightly tapped the ball.

Grinning, she formed a sphere with the whip and propelled it at the ball, hitting it directly. Grinning hugely, she bent the water back into the soil of the thirsty plant.

She glanced around the room, wanting to go out. She missed Kamoaka and Fakka from her Healing classes, but she knew her true friends were warriors, like her.

She bent water from a nearby cup of water angrily at the plate, making a small dent.

Her mother had assured Pakku of a severe punishment.

But she didn't care enough to even listen to her.

She bent the water at the window in fury, cracking it.

She finally collapsed on the ground, crying.

She wanted everyone- Pakku, her mom, the soldiers, the other students, and her long-gone father to see that she was great. She knew in her heart that she was far more talented at bending than all of the other boys at the Academy, and equal in raw talent with Pakku.

Dumb old man.

She took her water-whip and flung it at the door, locked to keep her from escaping, and severed the knob. The door blew open. Niwakaame frowned.

She closed it.

It blew open again.

"What in the-" she muttered, closing the door, or, rather, slamming it.

There was commotion outside.

Niwakaame felt the energy as the Benders out on patrol returned, but she could also sense a far more powerful energy nearby. She had never known such an energy existed.

That was unacceptable.

Her Bending garment, which fit her tightly, and exposed her legs, covered with tight leggings, was thin, graceful fabric that moved with her body, making her more agile, wasn't enough to keep her warm outside, unless she was openly Bending. She wore tight slippers that made jumping easy. Her hair was worn in one long braid, which was up in a bun, and her sidebangs covered her forehead.

She grabbed her cloak, which was navy blue, and had thick fur outlining it, and a rather concealing hood with fur outlining, so that nobody would recognize her.

Her face obscured, she walked outside to see what was going on, and her eyes popped wide open at the sight.

"No. Freaking. Way."

The Avatar had arrived. She watched as he and his companions were guided to meet the others. She eagerly ran beside the boat, and rammed into a stiff body.

"You're supposed to be grounded, Niwakaame."

Niwakaame's stomach curled in anger.

"Like I care about that," she replied icily, "Since when do you even care, Pakku?" The old man glared at her.

"I only want what's best for my great-niece," he said cooly.

"I'll believe it when I learn to fight."


	2. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: All recognizable characters, themes, and dialogue are the property of Nickelodeon, or whoever owns this epic awesomeness.**

**Ugh I HATED the last chapter! This one will be better, I swear. This is mainly a pile of Siege of the North and stuff leading up to it.**

**Previously on Rain Shower:**

"_No. Freaking. Way."_

_The Avatar had arrived. She watched as he and his companions were guided to meet the others. She eagerly ran beside the boat, and rammed into a stiff body._

"_You're supposed to be grounded, Niwakaame."_

_Niwakaame's stomach curled in anger._

"_Like I care about that," she replied icily, "Since when do you even care, Pakku?" The old man glared at her._

"_I only want what's best for my great-niece," he said cooly._

"_I'll believe it when I learn to fight."_

**Chapter One**

Niwakaame enjoyed battle more than she should.

She had never fought anyone, aside from her training fights before, and being able to do so was amazing. She was locked in fierce combat with a firebender. She was growing bored with the simple moves, and decided to surprise him.

Doing a back handspring, she launched herself into the while throwing ice daggers easily at the warrior, who, shocked, blocked them in the nick of time. He stepped up his game and sent a large fire bomb flying towards her, and she sent up a thick wall of ice to defend herself. Laughing, she then created a hole in the wall and launched several water bombs, making the ice around them extra thick so that the flames could not penetrate them. S soon as they got through his shield, she melted them momentarily before freezing them around his legs, and then sent more water to freeze his arms. She then propelled him towards a nearby wall and used more ice daggers to get him stuck there. She then walked up to him, and blocked his chi, a skill she had learned from Yugoda.

She then saw, to her horror, Jakodu being defeated by a more talented firebender than her previous opponent. As she ran towards her friend, she thought over the past weeks.

* * *

She knew he was aware of her watching him practice.

Niwakaame would stand outside of the Academy and watch Aang train. In her cloak she was undetectable, and whenever Pakku would look her way, she would simply walk away. She had been observing Aang's training carefully, and whenever he learned a move that she didn't know, she would practice it herself.

So it didn't come as much of a surprise when he finally confronted her about it.

She stood at the entrance, her cloak keeping her nice and warm. As Aang approached her, she smiled to herself.

"Um, hi, I'm-" he began.

"Avatar Aang. You're learning from Master Pakku." Aang looked surprised and nodded.

"Follow me," Niwakaame instructed, and walked towards a small alley. She stopped and turned around, studying the Avatar closely. Her eyes darted to the barrels of water she had taken to prepare. Softly she flicked her finger, and a thin wisp of water rose from the barrel. She sent it flying towards Aang, who used air to deflect it. Rolling her eyes, she told him, "Use water, we all know you can bend air."

Aang looked surprised.

"Who are you?"

"The time for introductions will come," Niwakaame replied. She grinned inwardly. She would teach Aang moves she had invented, and Pakku would learn who the true master was.

"Um, why am I here?" Aang asked. Niwakaame chuckled. She shot icedaggers at the Airbender, who this time used snow to stop them. But one made it through, and Niwakaame turned it to mush before it slammed into Aang's nose.

Quietly, she slipped her slender arms through the cloak and demonstrated how to create what she called a "water bomb". She bent down, her fingers dancing elaborately but slowly in a circle, and Aang took the hint and copied her slowly twisted her armsand expertly stood on one leg before landing swiftly on the ground and shooting a ball of ice, filled with water, toward the wall. Aang mimicked her movements, but he stumbled a bit and the ice shell melted before the bomb hit the wall. Niwakaame chuckled again, and silently nodded.

"Good, for a beginner. Work on your balance, imagine you're dancing. Your movements are too stiff, even out your legs."

Aang tried again, and though the ice shell wasn't as hard as it should be, his execution was much better. Niwakaame noticed, with a wry smile, that he had used airbending to propel the bomb faster.

"Very nice, Aang."

"Can you tell me who you are now?"

"If you want to learn more, meet me here tomorrow."

With that she walked away, very happy with her work. She had succeeded in providing an aura of mystery to herself to keep him interested in learning.

She walked back to her home, smiling.

* * *

A few days later, Niwakaame was woken by a knock at her door. Yawning, she walked to answer it.

She was surprised to see one of her former classmates, Jakodu, in front of her.

"Jakodu?" she asked, "What are you doing here?" He grinned.

"I like being the bearer of good news."

"And I like to hear it. Shoot." He grinned.

"Pakku is accepting female students**.**"

Niwakaame's mouth dropped open.

"What?"

"He says to be at the Academy before sunrise." Niwakaame rolled her eyes.

"Why before? Is he giving me a private lesson?" She shuddered st the thought.

"No, but usually teachers get there earlier . . ." She gasped.

"Wait, do you mean-"

"Pakku needs a teaching assistant." Her mouth fell wide open. She never thought her great uncle could let go of his pride, but this wasn't just letting go, it was throwing it outside into the cold ocean!

"He wants me to teach?" she whispered, still trying to wrap her head around it.

"He said that if you can teach the Avatar you can teach anybody. He also blames you for giving him the idea of secret practices."

Niwakaame flinched. So Pakku had found out about her secret training sessions with Aang.

Dumb Aang had probably attempted to use water bombs.

"So now what?" she asked, leaning against the doorway.

"You get ready to train, but I am not going to follow your orders."

* * *

"Katara, I loved watching you defeat Sangok today," Niwakaame commented as the two girls sat watching Aang play in the snow with Momo. Katara grinned.

"I enjoyed it too." She sighed. "I just wish Aang would take his training more seriously." Niwakaame gave an understanding smile.

"I know what you mean," Niwakaame replied, grinning. When Aang had finally found out who she was, he had been surprised, but accepted it with ease.

What he didn't do with ease was remaining vigilant in her classes with him.

"I know, but still . . ." Katara murmured, her eyes never leaving Aang's agile form.

"That's boys for you," she replied, "But you know what I have noticed in these weeks of watching you two?"

"What, Master Niwakaame?" Katara asked teasingly.

"I think Aang has a-"

"Hey Katara, watch this!" Aang called, jumping into the air and landing on a spinning snowball. Niwakaame rolled her eyes and, grinning, made a snowball and threw it, hitting Aang square on the head. He immediately lost his balance, and fell to the ground. Katara was laughing hard as Aang dusted himself off. He stuck his tongue out at the two waterbenders, and went back to playing with Momo.

Niwakaame sometimes couldn't help but feel like a third wheel around Aang and Katara.

Niwakaame then narrowed her eyes at the snow. It was turning gray.

"What the-" she whispered, bending down to pick up some of the strange precipitation.

What she did next was about as feral as it could get.

She put the stuff in her mouth.

_GROSS!_

Spitting the disgusting stuff out, she shuddered as she got up.

"I'm going to see Pakku," she said as she walked away hastily.

She had eaten soot.

* * *

Reaching Jakobu, Niwakaame quickly utilized octopus form and leaped at the firebender, using her eight water-arms to freeze his arms and legs. She then jumped away so that her friend could finish the man off. Suddenly, as she launched a water-whip at the firebender she had taken on, the water dropped to the ground.

Dismayed, Niwakaame tried to make it rise, jumping out of the way of a blast of fire from her gloating adversary.

The moon had turned red.

She tried repeatedly to bend the water lying uselessly below her, but to no avail.

The moon disappeared from the sky.

Gasping, Niwakaame dropped to her knees, wailing in agony.

The Fire Nation had reached the Spirit Oasis.

They must've killed the Moon Spirit.

Screaming in rage, she lunged at the firebender, dodging the flames that were sent her way, and blocked the chi of the warrior. The two then began close combat, but the firebender proved to be well-trained in that field too, and soon, Niwakaame was knocked off of her feet.

"Not so powerful without your bending, are you?" he asked, revealing himself to be a bender around her age.

"Watch me," Niwakaame hissed, jumping up and tripping him.

She would fight the old fashioned way.

She threw the snowballs at him with brute force, and hitting her mark, again blocking his chi, and the two got into fistfighting again.

"Didn't anybody tell you not to hit a girl?" Niwakaame sneered.

"Yeah. And I don't." Niwakaame just rolled her eyes and punched him again. He then got his bending back, and threw her against the wall at the same moment Niwakaame noticed that few fire bombs were coming from the ships.

He sent more flames her way, and she dodged them yet again, flipping and making snowballs.

A blue glow could be seen from the distance. Niwakaame noticed the waterbenders all bowing down.

She decided to do the same while the other bender started to run.

Suddenly, her power returned to her. Niwakaame felt her bending return in a rush of cold air.

"Ha!" she laughed as she bent a vicious water whip at the firebender, bringing him back to her.

"Let me go!" he yelled.

"Why would I do that?" Niwakaame asked, sneering as she tossed him into the water.


	3. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: All recognizable characters, themes, and dialogue are the property of Nickelodeon, or whoever owns this epic awesomeness.**

**Wow! 3000 words! I am a very happy writer right now! Well this takes place during Book Two Season premier**

**Previously on Rain Shower:**

_A blue glow could be seen from the distance. Niwakaame noticed the Waterbenders all bowing down._

_She decided to do the same while the other bender started to run._

_Suddenly, her power returned to her. Niwakaame felt her bending return in a rush of cold air. _

"_Ha!" she laughed as she bent a vicious water whip at the Firebender, bringing him back to her._

"_Let me go!" he yelled._

"_You know you're pretty cute for an idiot," Niwakaame remarked as she flung him into the water._

**Chapter Two**

"_Learning about all of the elements is important to master bending."_

Niwakaame opened her ofseeing the familiar darkness of her room, though, she saw a bright light. Startled, she jumped out of her bed. She opened the door, and the last remnant of sleep went away as she remembered where she was.

She was on a boat, with Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Pakku. Pakku was heading to the South Poleto help the Southern Tribe rebuild, and Niwakaame . . . well, she didn't know what to do. She felt incomplete. She had been told numerous times that she had mastered waterbending like none before her. But she still felt as if there was so much _more_for her to learn. She still felt like she didn't know enough.

She walked tp the upper deck, where she saw her friends getting ready to go.

"Bye Sokka," she said, giving him a pat on the back. She walked up to Katara.

"Will you come with us?" Katara asked, sounding hopeful. Niwakaame's eyes widened.

"Oh, I don't know," she said, rubbing her neck with her hand.

"I suggest you go," Pakku said, walking forward, "Aang could use two masters, and being out beyond our Tribe culture would be a helpful experience for you." He looked at Katara as he pulled out a vial. "Katara, I want you to have this. This amulet contains water from the Spirit Oasis. The water has unique properties. Don't loose it."

Katara thanked Pakku and gave him a quick hug. He nodded at Niwakaame, tossing her a small pouch. Niwakaame climbed onto Appa, sitting next to Katara.

"This is amazing!" Niwakaame said, pulling out a small necklace, like Katara's, but instead of an ornately carved design there was a beautiful clear crystal. Gasping, Niwakaame remembered one of Pakku's lessons.

"_A true warrior's heart is like a crystal. You can see directly into it to see the courage and bravery, and it is hard and unshakable. Only the warrior can change it."_

Touched, she showed it to Katara, who took off her own necklace and began to compare them. At that point Aang boarded Appa, and with a quick "Yip yip!" they were in the sky. Niwakaame grinned. She had never flown before.

"Say hi to Gran Gran for me!" Katara yelled as they soared into the sky. Niwakaame laughed.

"Well, welcome to Team Avatar!" Sokka said to her. She smiled.

"Thanks for inviting me," she told Katara sincerely.

"No problem. I need another girl to talk to." The two laughed.

"It'll be nice having two teachers," Aang said enthusiastically. Niwakaame nodded.

"You do." They all laughed, and Niwakaame grinned. She quietly bent the moisture in a cloud into the shape of a drop of water.

"You try," she said to Katara and Aang. Katara succeeded, making a triangle, but Aang's looked like a blob.

"How did you learn how to do that?" Aang asked.

"When I was training in secret, I had to think on my feet a lot. So when my mom was cooking, I took some steam and bent it into shapes. It was a good exercise for me to learn control. And it was fun."

"How amazing!" Katara said.

"Thinking on the spot is my specialty," Niwakaame said smugly, smiling.

"That's awesome," Aang said, "Learning from you will be fun." Katara shoved him.

"You too!"

Niwakaame laughed.

"You know, I've never seen you this . . . open and happy," Sokka commented.

Niwakaame shrugged. "I've never had reason to be. My mom probably didn't even notice I ran off." She changed the subject upon seeing Katara's concerned face. "So, we're meeting a general."

"Yeah, and then he'll take us to Omashu!"

"You know I've never been outside of the Tribe," Niwakaame mused.

"Really?" Aang asked.

"Yeah," she replied, "That's why I came to join you guys."

"So how did you know I was the Avatar when we first met?" Aang asked. Niwakaame shrugged.

"Aside from the obvious giant tattoo on your head, I can feel people's energy. It's weird, no one else can. I can sense if you are a bender, if you are upset, in love . . ."

Aang gulped.

"Wow, that's so cool!" Katara said, "Why didn't you say so before?"

"It never came up."

The group rode in silence for a while. Eventually Aang tried to strike a conversation again.

"Anyone want to see a cool glider trick?" he asked, looking directly at Katara. Niwakaame smiled, amused.

"I'm fine, but I'm sure Katara would enjoy one," she said, nudging the Waterbender next to her.

"Oh, um, sure!" Katara said, perking up. Niwakaame raised an eyebrow at her friend, who pretended to be innocent. Niwakaame could sense some mutual feelings developing between the two Benders.

"Cool!" Aang said, popping open his glider and jumping off of Appa. Sokka jumped to take the reigns when Appa grunted. Aang twirled in the sky before doing a trick in the clouds, making a flower in the sky. He then blew the flower cloud to Katara. Niwakaame grinned in delight at how sweet Aang's gesture was as Aang took control of Appa again.

"Thanks, Aang, that's so sweet!"

"You're welcome."

Aang was grinning from ear to ear.

More time passed and the group was starting to get sleepy when they heard Sokka yell out.

"There it is!" he called, perking up. Niwakaame stretched, yawning. Her eyes widened in amazement.

"Wow!" she breathed. The fort of the general was breathtaking with its firmness and beauty. She was eager to meet the people inside of it.

"_Learning about all of the elements is important to master bending."_

Maybe she could study the Earthbenders. Study their movements, their energy flow. Maybe she could invent some Earth-inspired Waterbending techniques.

Appa landed with a gentle thud, and the travelers jumped off, stretching. Niwakaame rolled her eyes at seeing the guys scratching themselves. She remembered having to watch the other students during her hoax at the Northern Tribe. She shuddered at the disgusting memory.

As she saw the man she suspected to be the general himself approaching, Niwakaame adopted the smooth, emotionless, diplomatic manner she had perfected over the weeks.

"Welcome, Avatar Aang! I am General Fong," he said, bowing with his troops. "And welcome to all of you great heroes- Appa, Momo, the brave Sokka, the mighty Katara, and, why, who is this?"

"I am Niwakaame."

"And the lovely Niwakaame!"

"Lovely? How nice." There was a slight edge of sarcasm in her voice.

"Mighty Katara?" Katara said, crossing her arms, seeming satisfied. "I like that."

Fireworks streamed across the sky, but Niwakaame was more focused on the Earthbenders flinging them up. She watched how firmly their feet were planted on the ground, she spot-on and sure movements of their arms.

She analyzed their stance, searching for weakness.

"Come on, Niwa, let's go!" Aang called, using her nickname. Niwakaame smiled and followed the young Avatar, feeling happier than she had in a long time.

"Do you want to come with us to the meeting with the General?" Sokka offered. Niwakaame shook her head.

"I would rather study the Earthbenders. You guys have your fun." Sokka shrugged and ran off to follow his sister and friend. Niwakaame turned around and walked over to where the Fong's soldiers were training.

"Hello!"

Niwakaame turned around, surprised. She sensed that the girl greeting her was an Earthbender. She could feel her strong, hard energy, and almost saw the bright green color of it.

The girl standing before her had dark brown skin and spiky black hair. Her eyes were a bright golden color.

"Hi," Niwakaame said.

"My name is Koishi. What's yours?"

"Niwakaame. You're an Earthbender, no?"

"Sure am! I've been training here for a month."

"Wow!"

"Yeah. I'm not that great yet, but I'll get the hang of it. What about you?"

"I'm a Master Level Waterbender."

Koishi stared.

"Wow."

"Lots of work. Years of work, actually." Koishi nodded.

"Bending is tough. But it's worth it."

"Sure is."

Niwakaame waved goodbye and sat down to observe the Earthbenders. Momo leaped onto her shoulder.

"Oh hey Momo! Pretty cool stuff, eh?"

Momo squeaked and curled up beside her, falling asleep.

Niwakaame first noted how she could fight an Earthbender. She knew it would require plenty of ice, since the Earth would probably easily penetrate a shield of water. Eager to test her new hypothesis, she stood up.

"Anyone want to practice with me?" she asked. The men laughed. One soldier stepped up.

"Here, I'll help you." He smiled and let a slow crack ripple through the Earth, giving Niwakaame plenty of time to step out of the way and send her water whip to trip him. Miffed, he stood up and planted his feet firmly on the ground, angered by his friends' laughs. He sent a large boulder flying at her ad she jumped up, flipped over the rock, and while doing that she sent ice daggers at him, which he blocked with an Earth Shield. He sent another boulder at her, and this time she took water from the ground, making it even drier than it was before, and froze it into hard ice, breathing into it to make it even firmer. She dug some of the ice into the dirt, hoping for that to make it sturdier, and waited.

_Thud_!

"Yes!" she whispered, and flung the water back at the baffled soldier, before walking away. "Thanks!" she called, before running into Katara, who looked angered.

"Katara, you wouldn't believe . . . what happened?"

"General Fong wants to use the Avatar State now!"

"What?" Niwakaame gasped, "But he can't!"

"He tried to make Aang feel guilty, ugh," Katara groaned. Niwakaame patter her friend's shoulder.

* * *

That night, as Niwakaame unbraided her hair in the bunk above Katara's, she noticed Aang walk out. Concerned, she almost went after him, but decided they weren't _that _close yet. When he walked back inside a few minutes later, she peeked over the edge of the bed.

"I told the General I'd help him," Aang said quietly. "By going into the Avatar State."

_I knew I should've gone after him! Dammit!_

Katara sat up. "Aang, no! This is not the right way!"

"I agree, Aang, there is a certain way to do things, and the General is way out of line, here."

"Why not? Remember when he took out the Fire Navy? That was incredible," Sokka said.

"There's a right way to do this. Practice, study, and discipline!" Katara said, nodding at Niwakaame.

"Or just blow it up and stop that Fire Lord," Sokka replied.

"If you two meatheads want to throw away everything we've worked for, fine, just blow it all up!" Katara yelled, walking out of the room.

"Katara, I'm just being realistic! I don't have time to do this the right way!"

"You didn't think that before you let that idiot General get to you!" Niwakaame argued.

"Hey, you stay out of this!" Sokka snapped.

"Excuse me, Sokka, but I'm just as much a part of this group now as you are!"

"We were fine without you!"

"I didn't hear that when I saved your sorry butt during the Siege!"

"Hey, you two just STOP!" Aang yelled. Niwakaame crossed her arms.

"Aang, something really bad is going to come from this. I just know it."

* * *

"This rare chi-enhancing tea is a natural stimulative. In an ordinary warrior it improves strength and energy tenfold. In you, it may induce the Avatar State."

Niwakaame studied the man serving the tea, and breathed in the steam of the drink. She could feel the white energy of the tea, and imagined it brightening and boosting the energy of another.

"Tenfold energy, huh?" Aang asked, sipping the tea. Niwakaame watched the tea boost his energy, but not in the way that would educe the glowing eyes. Instead, the energy made him kind of crazy.

"Are you keeping track of his energy?" Katara asked quietly.

"It's more static than energy right now," Niwakaame replied, sighing.

* * *

"Maybe I can shock you into the Avatar State," Sokka said during their next attempt. Niwakaame rolled her eyes.

"I love surprises!" Aang said as Katara covered his eyes.

Niwakaame snickered.

_This is just sad._

Sokka stuffed Momo into his shirt, so it looked like Momo has his body.

"You'll just scare him, you know," Niwakaame muttered, ignoring the frosty glare from Fong. She didn't fear him.

Sokka lunged at Aang, who screamed.

"Still not glowing," Aang reported after regaining his composure.

"Told you," Niwakaame said smugly, to no one in particular.

* * *

"You are wearing a ceremonial piece of clothing from each of the Bending Nations. Now I will join the four Elements into one!"

_This man is a lunatic!_

He threw the revolting mix at poor Aang.

"This si just mud!" he said.

"Do you feel anything?" the strange guy asked. Aang opened hsi mouth, and everyone leaned forward.

Aang sneezed, covering them all with mud.

"Fabulous," Niwakaame muttered.

"We have to find a way," the general said. Niwakaame stared at him straight in the eye, and rolled hers.

* * *

"This is unbelievable! That fool of a general won't give up!" Niwakaame sighed, staring into the sunset.

"I've seen him do some wild things before but . . . nothing like this!" Koishi agreed. Katara walked into the room, looking extremely sad.

"Did it work?" Niwakaame asked quietly. Katara shook her head sadly.

"No. I _hate _seeing him put himself through that intentionally!" Niwakaame nodded.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think he would listen to me, since nobody else in the group-"

"What? We all like you, Niwa!"

"But am I needed?"

"Aang needs lots of help in his bending, and you are teaching both of us things."

"You would be fine without me, though. I feel useless."

"One day you'll see we need you. And never listen to Sokka. Good night."

"Good night."

* * *

"Sokka? Sokka, wake up." Niwakaame was alerted by the whispers, and opened her eyes groggily.

"Huh?"

"I don't think we should be trying to bring on the Avatar State."

Niwakaame was now fully awake. She smiled.

"You sure?"

_Oh, shut up Sokka._

"Yeah."

"Okay."

"Do you think the General will be mad?"

_If he is I'll kick his ass._

"What can he say? You're the Avatar. Who knows better than you?"

_For the past days? Me and Katara, that's who._

_

* * *

_

Niwakaame gasped as he was flung out of the window. She had been chatting with Koishi while Aang and Sokka had gone to withdraw their cooperation from Fong's dumb plan.

"Aang!" she screamed, running towards him.

"Men!" Fong yelled, "attack the Avatar!"

Soldiers, including Koishi, surrounded Aang.

"Koishi! Don't!"

"I have to!" Koishi yelled back, clearly unhappy. In rage, Niwakaame water-whipped her friend against a wall, freezing her there. Koishi looked relieved.

The General sent a ripple through the ground. Hoping to deter him, Niwakaame made the ground brittle by sucking the moisture out, but to no avail. Angrily, she flung it at a few benders closing in on Aang, and then flung out her whip at the Earthbenders coming to hold her down.

"What are you doing?"Aang gasped.

"I believe we are getting results."

Aang dodged more earth.

"I'm not your enemy! I won't fight you!"

_Good, Aang!_

Niwakaame sensed the insane energy flowing throughout, and it was driving her nuts. She threw ice daggers at some Earthbenders.

Aang kept running.

"You can't run forever!" Fong yelled, pulling Aang in with an earth disk.

"You're crazy!" Niwakaame screamed.

"You can't fight forever!" Aang yelled at the same time. An Earthbender threw a disc at Aang, which Niwakaame managed to block.

She tried her best to help out Aang, but this kind of fighting wasn't her forte.

She hated that.

She noticed Katara and Sokka meeting up near the stairs. She whipped a few soldiers who were trying to free a very distressed Koishi.

Aang ran up the stairs.

"Maybe you can avoid me," Fong called, glancing at Katara, "But she can't!"

Niwakaame watched in horror as Katara sunk into the ground.

"No!" she screamed, but she found herself mud-glued to a wall.

"Stop this!" Aang screamed desperately, "You have to let her go!"

"You could save her if you were in the Avatar State!" Fong replied.

_What is wrong with this man?_

Niwakaame used the water in the mud to sling it at the Earthbenders. She flipped up and sent her water whip flying at them, trying to get to Katara. She kept light on her feet, so she wouldn't sink into the ground.

Katara's head disappeared.

"No!" Niwakaame cried, angrily whipping the guards away. She used water to propel herself to the top of the wall, searching for a loophole.

To her utter horror, she saw Aang's eyes glowing.

His energy was in chaos. The bright blue energy didn't have the red energy to give it support, green power to root it to stability. The dark blue power and the silver light was fluctuating wildly.

_What has he done?_

Aang flew into the air, in a tornado of dirt and dust. Niwakaame tried to calm him down, but she knew in her heart only Katara could do so.

"Aang! Aang, please!" she begged uselessly.

Fong, realizing the mistake, quickly brought Katara above ground again, and Niwakaame breathed in relief. She couldn't hear exactly what he said, but whatever he did made Aang slam to the ground, with earth rippling from impact. The Earthbenders were knocked away like spider-flies. Niwakaame jumped off of the wall, cushioning her land with a bubble of water.

She stared at Aang, who had just destroyed most of the compound.

Koishi, by the way, was still frozen to the wall.

Suddenly, the wind stopped, and Aang fell to the ground. Niwakaame unfroze Koishi, who instantly ran to an injured friend.

Katara ran to Aang, pulling him into a hug. Niwakaame walked over, hearing his apology.

"I'm sorry, Katara. I hope you never have to see me like that again."

"Ha!" Fong walked over. Niwakaame narrowed her eyes. "Are you joking? That was almost perfect! We just have to find a way to control you when you're like that!"

Niwakaame lay her hand on Aang's head protectively.

"You're out of your mind," Aang said to him.

"I guess we'll figure it out on the way to the Fire Nation," Fong said, right before Sokka knocked him out.

None of the other warriors minded.

"Do you still want an escort to Omoshu?" a soldier asked. Koishi perked up.

"I think we're all set," Katara replied. Niwakaame walked to Koishi.

"See you soon, Koishi."

"I'm sorry," Koishi said, and the two hugged.

Niwakaame jumped onto Appa and the gaang flew away.

"What a day!" Niwakaame remarked, and noticed Aang's sleepy face.

"You don't have to say that twice," Sokka agreed.

"Aang, get some rest," Niwakaame said gently.

"Okay, Katara."

Niwakaame flinched.


End file.
